Some people are horrified by Santería because they know it involves animal sacrifice. Well, yes, it does, but much less than you think. In very specific circumstances, blood sacrifice (of fowl or 4-legged animals like goats or sheep) is required for reasons I'll explain later, but most of the time, sacrifice in Santería takes other forms. I want to get the image of blood-stained altars out of the way right now, because that's not part of daily life for Santeros. The Orichás and egun can be honored with very simple gifts, like a glass or bowl of fresh water, a few pieces of fruit, a candle, some flowers, a cigar, a small dish of honey or molasses, a small glass of rum. They don't need all of this heaped on them at one time like a spoiled child on Christmas morning. What they want is a steady and sincere expression of devotion. Santeros who take time to pray to the Orichás, to sit with them and keep them company, who clean the altar, put a fresh white cloth down, leave them a small token of affection: these are the signs of daily devotion that the Orichás and egun like. In divination, if the reading comes with osorbo (misfortune) or if the iré (good fortune) isn't firm and guaranteed, an ebó (offering) is made to the Orichás who stand up to offer assistance to the client during the reading. The diviner asks what the Orichás want by throwing the dilogún and asking the client to manipulate the ibó to get yes or no answers. A good diviner always starts with the simplest and most basic form of ebó. Depending on the tastes and preferences of the Orichás, they communicate what they want through the diviner. Remedies are usually fairly simple and relatively inexpensive. The Orichás, for the most part, aren't greedy and don't ask more than the client can give. Most of the time, they only want a symbolic offering that shows the client is grateful for the guidance they're offering.

Sunflowers for Ochún

One of my favorite offerings takes the form of adimú, which usually translates as cooked food prepared for the Orichás. Sometimes this can be food that you, yourself, plan to eat, too, but if you're preparing it as an adimú, you always serve the Orichás first. Don't give them leftovers! After all, they're the honored guests. Sometimes, though, you prepare food that's just for them. Ogún likes a sweet potato, baked or fried, rubbed with red palm oil and maybe a little molasses. Ochún likes an omelette with a little chard and dried shrimp. Changó loves fried okra. There are recipes books, recipes on the internet, and even programs on youtube that show you how to cook food for the Orichás. The recipes, manner of preparation and ingredients, can vary from one cook to another, but the most important thing is that the adimú be prepared with love and devotion. It should be served on a nice plate reserved just for the Orichá, and disposed of in the right way, as determined by divination. For example, it might go in the garbage, or it might go to the railroad tracks, the river, the crossroads, or the wilderness. The Orichás say how long to leave it and where to take it to dispose of it. It's important to dispose of it in a way that doesn't harm the environment or cause unsightly litter. The Orichás express themselves through the elements of nature, so they want you to respect the natural environment and keep it clean.

The word ebó comes from Yoruba and means both "sacrifice" and "offering" because these two things are interconnected. Sacrifice doesn't always mean cutting an animal's throat and offering blood. Sacrifice means giving up something that means something to you, as a way to show you're devoted to the Orichás and appreciate what they do for you. When you buy flowers and put them for the Orichás, you're sacrificing the money that you would otherwise be spending on yourself. You're taking time you could spend doing something else to go to the market and buy the flowers. You arrange them in a vase with care and love. These actions require effort on your part, and they constitute a sacrifice. When you make food and give it to the Orichás, you're sacrificing food you would otherwise eat yourself. Again, this may not seem like a big deal when you have plenty of food to go around, but Santería comes from a culture marked by economic hardship, where offering food to another was truly a meaningful sacrifice. Another form of ebó is behavior modification, such as avoiding alcohol or staying away from large crowds. That's a sacrifice, if you like to drink and party. Spiritual cleansings and baths are also considered ebó, because there's some time, expense and effort involved in getting the ingredients together and taking the bath in the prescribed way. It's not just about money; it's about giving the time to the Orichás to carry out their wishes, and showing obedience by following their advice. For people who are willful, used to getting their own way, and doing whatever they want, showing obedience and humility can be a major sacrifice, because it means giving up behavior that displeases the Orichás.

Honey for Ochún

All living things have aché (spiritual energy), so even a seemingly small gift like a glass of cool water has great metaphysical importance. Water's the source of life. Without it, the planet would die. Fruits and vegetables come from the earth and depend on rainwater to thrive. Without them, we'd starve. Honey and molasses make life sweeter. Oils, like cocoa butter or red palm oil, make things go smoother. Simple, natural ingredients make the best adimús and offerings because they're so closely connected to life itself. Flowers bring beauty into our lives. Candles offer light and warmth. When you understand the spiritual properties of these offerings, they're no longer simple things but profoundly meaningful ones.

So, rethink the concept of sacrifice, if you're put off by it. Maybe it's not what you think it is. Yes, once in a while an animal dies and there's blood. But most of the time, it's not that. It's something simpler, fresher, cooler, and gentler, because the religion is all about living in harmony with nature, with other people, with egun, and with the Orichás, and most of the time, that's accomplished with gestures of love and devotion, not the drawing of blood.

Here's a link to the Adimú Network, which teaches you how to make traditional foods for the Orichás. The recipes are prepared by an experienced Santera who also happens to be a great cook!